The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1887-10-28
How to Kill a Town.


wise and eriticise every effort Of ener-
getioe pubhc-spirited man for promo
ton OF general good; impugn their
motives, claim that a sWindle Is
contemplated hy the promoters, or that
the enterprise Is impractical and sure
tofall People then think you are a
man of deep penetration, and should
there happen % be a failire be sure TO
say. Il told YOU so. but should a grand
suecess be the result, your prophesies
will be forgotten In the general reioic-
ings, 80 that your reputation as pro-
phet viii not suffer. When a stranger
comes 10 town and proposes to eStab-
lish a mandatory OF some kind, as
soon as you hear OF Il slip around quiet.
ly and whisper in the ears OF those
who may listen to you that the party
Is fraud, that be has no money OF his
own, that he contemplates a swindle
on the people, and, being wise man,
that IL is your duty TO warn against ap
preaching danger. But should some OF
the wide awake citizens see the benefits
TO be derived by encouraging the enter.
prise, and start movement in that di-
rection, then kick, kick vigorously, and
as like attracts like, you may soon sur
round yourself with a whole army OF
kiokers, and he instrumental in Great
ing ana crystalizing sentiment strong
enough TO choke the life out of the
enterprise, aud thereby drive the stran-
ger TO a more public-spirited locality.
Should you be demonstrated with on
your opposition TO public enterprises,
and your attention called to the rapid
advancement OF other towns no better
situated naturally than your own, re-
ply that there is nothing there TO build
up town; that there is nothing sub
stantal about it; that the town is
forced up by artificial means, and that
a reaction will soon take place. 'Tis
true that by so doing you make an as.
sertiun that only the future can dis.
prove OF ever, and 50, from your stand
point you are IN possession of the field.
Should number OF your citizens unite
in an effort to develop the natural re-
sources OF your locality, be on hand
with fund of advice as to how the
company should be managed. IL is
true you may have paucity of ideas
ON the subject, but give them redun-
dancy OF words IAN article kicker al
ways has on hand). BE very careful
not to take stock in the enterprise, then
people will think that all your sug.
gestiOns are purely disinterested. AZ
ter the enterprise is on it's feet begin TO
find fault with the managers; should
any mistakes occur, magnify them,
darkly hint to smaller stockholders
that the big fish will soon eat up the
little ones, that the whole thing is a
fraud badly managed and run by few
in their own private interests. You
may know nothing of the truth of what
you say, but That makes no difference,
Just hammer away at your assertions
and in time you may have the salts
faction of seeing your opinions crystal
lzing into the fact On the minds of your
hearers). by persistently pursuing
this course you may succeed IN crippl-
ing, il not destroying, an enterprise that
/ that would have been of incalcuable
ben III to your town
The kicker may be in good circum-
stances and perfectly satisfied with
things AS they are, may be apprehen-
slve should boom strike the town OF
hayiug a too strong competition to con-
tend with, or tine town may be as big u
one as he wants to live IN, or he may
feel that IA little more tax will lessen
the value of his property, hls failing
entirety of seeing that public
prosperity meansindiyidual prosperity,
or It may be tia. he has none or but
little pecuniary interests in the town,
and only kicks for the pleasure 1t gives
him. But whatever his motives may
be, by following the foregoing sug-
gestions and many others that may oc.
eur to him, and persistently find fault
with everything said or done for the
public good, find fault with the churches
the preachers, lawyers, doctors, schools
couri', business men, city government
ewspapers, waterwOrks, gas company
and IN fact everything connected with
the town, aud he and his co,workers
will soon have the pleasure OF seeing
the natural result OF their work.
Another way TO kill II town is TO sym